Man-Made Wonders

Pyramids of Giza
Southwest of Cairo, on the desert plateau of Giza, are the pyramid tombs of three fourth-dynasty pharaohs: Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mycerinus). The Great Pyramid of Khufu, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was built over the course of 20 years using more than 2 million blocks of stone.

Great Wall
No matter how many pictures of it you've seen, the Great Wall is still impressive. It follows a ridge of barren hills through northern China, stretching as far as the eye can see—nearly 4,000 mi/6,400 km. It's thought that, at one time, it was 6,000 mi/9,700 km long.

Taj Mahal
Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the Taj Mahal be built to honor his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child. It took 20,000 laborers more than 20 years to complete. The Taj is so precious in India, more than 200 factories in the area have been shut down to prevent air pollution from discoloring the white marble.

Machu-Picchu
High in the mountains of Peru at an elevation of 8,000 ft/2,450 m, Machu-Picchu has the most spectacular setting of any ruin in the world—even those who aren't normally excited by archaeology will be impressed. Whether you’re an archaeology buff or just an outdoor enthusiast, this Lost City of the Incas is a place everyone should see at least once.

Angkor Wat
The ancient Cambodian city of Angkor is much larger than most travelers realize. There are dozens of temples and ancient buildings in the Angkor area—the most famous of which is Angkor Wat. The entire area is often referred to as Angkor Wat, though the name only refers to the principal temple.

Forbidden City
Twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived in this Chinese landmark, which got its name because it was off-limits to ordinary citizens. The Forbidden City encompasses six palaces and 800 smaller buildings, reportedly containing 9,999 rooms and halls, and hundreds of gardens.

St. Peter's Basilica
A masterpiece in its own right, St. Peter's Basilica houses many works of art by Bernini including the Cattedra, the tomb of Urban VIII and the breathtaking baldacchino over the central altar. Visitors to this Italian treasure can also view Michelangelo's Pieta, the Sistine Chapel and what is thought to be the oldest statue of St. Peter in the world.

The Acropolis
This hill was a sacred site for ancient Athenians. At the top are the ruins of three temples built in the fifth century BC. From the top of the Acropolis, visitors are treated to a panoramic view of Athens and the Saronic Gulf.

Chichen Itza
Found in southern Mexico, the ruins in this vast archaeological area date from AD 800. The structures themselves vary greatly, relating to different aspects of Mayan culture. The older parts of the site are from the Classic Maya era, but another wave of Maya settlers is believed responsible for the later additions.

Petra
This ancient Jordanian city was carved from solid sandstone by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago. If it looks familiar, you've likely seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade; the film's later scenes feature the Treasury building.